The present invention relates to a metallic bond for damaged fiber optic cable sheath and, more particularly, to a tubular, conductive housing for a damaged fiber section that restores both physical and electrical integrity to the damaged cable.
Fiber optic cable has become a standard transmission medium for many different communication systems. In general, a fiber optic cable consists of a number of separate optical fibers stranded together, and (usually) including a central metallic strength member to provide support to the set of optical fibers. Surrounding the fibers is a metallic sheath, used to provide outer mechanical support to the cable, as well as to provide an electric signal path that is used to send certain operational tones along the length of the cable. Plastic coatings may be then be used to cover the metallic sheath, particularly when the cable is to be buried in the ground.
A buried cable is vulnerable to many environmental hazards, such as lightning strikes and animal damage. A lightning strike may burn a hole through the metallic sheath, yet not immediately cause any harm to the encased optical fibers. Animal damage may be slow, eroding the integrity of the metallic sheath over a relatively long period of time. Regardless of the source of damage, the cable will eventually deteriorate and expose the bare fibers. As such, the fibers are then extremely vulnerable to any type of movement of the earth or the cable.
A need remains in fiber optic cable restoration for repairing a fiber optical metallic sheath immediately upon the occurrence of the initial damage to prevent the subsequent deterioration of the underlying cable.